River dam



1,624,571 J. M. L- A. AUBERT RIVER nu April 12, 1927.

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Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES RIVER AUBERT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

DAM.

Application filed January 23, 1926, Serial No. 83,321, and in FranceMay 2, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in gates for use in movable river dams and more particularly in gate sections or-plates equipped with slide blocks.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a pivotally-mounted gate constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a perspective view showing the. gate in raised position. Fig. 3 is avertical section and Fig. 4 a plan view showing the gate in lowered position.

Figs. 5. 6 and 7 relate to the slide block element of my invention. Fig. 5 is aplan view, Fig. 6 a longitudinal section on the line 66 of Fig. 5, and F ig. 7 a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5 or Fig. 6.

My ii'iventionrelates to a gate section or plate- 1 for river dams, which is provided with a special slide block 4 of the character subsequently described and is characterized by a special construction of the'bottom part of the plate and the ground sill 7. The aforesaid plate 1 (Figs. 1-4) is pivoted to the upper horizontal axis 1 of a support 2 which, in turn is pivoted at its lower end 8 to the sill 7, and strut 3 is also pivoted to the said axis 1 and rests upon the slide block t. This block is provided with a locking notch 5 and a vertical guide rib or shoulder 5, the upper edge of the rib sloping downward to the bottom of notch 5 in such a manner that the strut 3 will slide upon it; and at one side of the notch 5 and iii) 5 a longitudinal channel 6 is formed (Figs. 57).

In my invention, the bottom part of the gate section or plate 1 is made longer than in the known types, and it rests upon the ground sill 7 even when the plate lies flatwisc. The upper part of the sill has substantially the form of a cylinder whose horizontal axis coincides with the lower axis 8 of the support 2-, so that I am thus enabled to raise and lower the plate by traction which is exerted exclusively from the upstream side upon the top of the plate.

To facilitate the lifting and lowering opcrations. the top of each plate or gate section is provided with achain 9 (Fig. 4-), and the ends of all the chains 9 are connected together by chains 10. To prevent the chains 9 from catching upon.- the top of the plate. the upper edge of the plate is beveled; and in order to prevent an obstacle situated in front of the sill from interfering with the lifting operation, the lower edge of the plate is also beveled.

The lifting operation is as follows:

The plate being in the flat position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the chain 9 is seized and an upward tract-ion is exerted from the upstream side. Due to the relative positions of the plate 1 and the sill 7. the plate will side upon the sill during the movement of lifting. and upon completion of this movement the strut 3 will drop into the notch in block 4: and thus lock the entire device; the lower end of the strut following the straight path (a?), Fig. 5. By the use of the small chains 10 connecting the chains 9, it will be an easy matter, after a plate has been lifted, to seize the chain of the next plate since the end of that chain is now out of the water. To readily grasp the chains of the plates situated at the ends of the dam, I attach to them suitable chains (not shown) whose other ends are fastened in the side walls of the dam.

The lowering operation is as follows:

The plate being in the raised position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an upward traction is exerted upon the chain 9 from the upstream side, thus releasing the strut end from its notch and allowing it to slide across the inclined surface leading to rib 5 and drop over the edge of said rib into the channel 6 in the slide block. The apparatus is now left to itself, and the plate 1 will talte the inclined position, while the strut will follow the channel and will lie flat as shown in Fig. 3; the complete path of the strut end being indicated by the line oo-(lcefa.

It will be observed that, due to the special arrangement of the bottom of the plate and of the ground sill, the said plate can be raised and lowered by traction on the top of the plate which is exerted solely from the upstream side, and without obliging the plate to pass through an intermediate tilted position, so that the operations can be readily performed in all cases, provided a sufficiently powerful cable winch is employed.

I claim as my invention y 1. In a river dam, the combination of a plurality of gate sections, an individual support for each section pivoting at its lower end about a horizontal axis parallel to the dam. and a ground sillon which the gate sections hear at their lower edges; the upper surface of the sill being cylindrical and coaxial "with the pivotal axes of said supports so that the gate sections can swing with their supports while keeping their lower edges constantly in hearing contact with the sill, said sections being raisahle simply by traction exerted upon their upper edges.

2. A construction according to claim 1, in which traction chains are connected to the tops of the gate sections, and in which the free ends of such chains are joined together by cross-chains; the opposite ends of the sections being beveled to prevent interference with the traction chains.

:3. In a, river dam, the combination of a ground sill having a cylindrical upper portion. a plurality of gate sections, a rocking support for each section pivoted at its upper end to the under face thereof and at its lower end to the sill at a point coincident with the axis of curvature of the cylindrical portion of the sill to permit swinging movement of the section between a substantially uprightposition and a horizontal position consequent upon traction exerted upon the top of the section from the upstream side; said section having a, length sullicient to enable it to rest upon the sill in both positions; 2i slide block for each section, and a strut pivoted at its upper end to each section and engegeable at its lower end with the corresponding block.

In testimony whereof I :u'lix my signature.

JEAN MARIE LOUIS ANTOINE AUBERT. 

